Gefa Nägler

In manual therapy, the passive elements predominate. The manual therapist tries to find disturbances in the musculoskeletal system, the muscles and joints and to solve them through manual intervention. With the evolution to Orthopedic Manual/Manipulative Therapist (OMT), Manual Therapy has also adopted visceral (organ) techniques and a holistic approach.

Viewing the person holistically is the core element of osteopathy. Classical physiotherapy has now also adopted the holistic approach to anatomical structures.

Spiral Dynamics deals exclusively with the human being in motion.

In the body everything interlocks. No part can function independently of another part. The body transmits force much in spiral patterns to achieve maximum effect. Force is stored in tissues through savvy concepts and released when needed.

As an example, pelvic dysfunction is not only transferred to the back, but also to the feet. The typical hallux valgus is often the end of a cause-and-consequence chain that originates in the pelvis.

The transfer of a pelvic dysfunction to the lower back "wears down" the lowest intervertebral discs, causing discomfort in this area. If the evasive movement due to the dysfunction takes place higher up, the shoulder girdle and cervical spine are affected.

In training in physiotherapy, the therapist tries to mobilize the patient, increase muscle strength and improve mobility, mainly through active exercises performed by the patient, in order to achieve pain relief.

Manual lymphatic drainage is a therapy used to treat edema and swelling. With the help of special manual techniques, the fluid in the skin/subcutaneous tissue can be shifted and is then removed via the lymphatic system. This can reduce pain and speed up the healing process after surgery or injury. Compression bandages or support stockings can be used to support the treatment.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation improves the interaction between muscles and nerves. The method is mainly used for movement restrictions caused by disorders of the central nervous system. These include diseases of the brain or spinal cord such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia or stroke.

Specific exercise sequences, stimuli and resistances are used to train muscles and stimulate the affected receptors. This facilitates the transmission of stimuli between nerves and muscles. By moving in diagonals, entire muscle chains are addressed, as they are also required for the coordination of everyday movements. The aim of the therapy is to re-internalize certain movement patterns and thus to be able to perform even complex movements again or continue to do so independently.

Kinesio Tape is an elastic tape (medical adhesive tape) that can be applied to various parts of the body. It works through receptors in the skin or connective tissue and is used to relieve injured ligaments, joints and muscles and reduce pain. Pain in a particular region of the body is only caused by the accumulation of corresponding information in the brain. Kinesio Tape gives the brain additional information and helps to avoid pain-patterns of movement. Kinesio Tape is also successfully used to relieve pressure on joints. The feeling of stability of a joint is strongly subjective. The application of the tape creates traction, which leads to a much more stable feeling, so that muscle tension can normalize. The tape can be worn for up to a week and can withstand stress such as showers or saunas without any problems.